Yep, we took a mini vacation. But I’ll get to that in a moment.

First, let’s go back to last weekend, when Daphne and I went to the Children’s Museum.

She was much more comfortable this time around, and was fine running around on her own. (With periodic check-ins for a reassuring Dad snuggle or two.)

First she chased these light-up dots for a while…

Then we headed outside to play with the Water Works.

That is, right up until I saw a few members of the museum staff attempting to scoop thousands of giant, white, squirming larvae out of the very same pool that Daph is splashing in there.

Thus ended the splashing episode.

Quickly.

Naturally, after all this running around in the heat, we were a bit worn out.

I think she made it about 5 minutes in the car…

Refreshed after a nap, the sandbox in the backyard was our next stop.

She’s still not quite sure about the feel of sand on her hands. This video is the first time she’s ever actually gotten into the sandbox.

And that pretty much ended BumbleDay.

Now, on to this past weekend.

Jen and I took a long overdue vacation, just the two of us…something we haven’t done since we flew to Utah 8 years ago.

We dropped Alex, Jib and Daphne off with family, then hopped in the car and drove to Fredericksburg, where we stayed above the Fredericksburg Brewing Co. at their “Bed & Brew…”

You can see the entrance to the Bed & Brew there in the back left.

and stayed in their “Admiral” room.

That bed left a bit to be desired in the comfortability department, and the room itself was closer than we would’ve liked to a live music patio…

But in all it a super nice place to call home base for a couple days.

The real point of the trip was to visit some Texas breweries. So we hit up Real Ale (twice!) which was by far our favorite spot of the trip.

Apparently they’re doing pretty well out there in Blanco, as that little ale company that I visited on a Texas Beer Tour back in 2009…

has grown into a pretty massive (and expanding) boozy compound.

Good for them. They make fantastic beer…

We also did a quick hike halfway up Enchanted Rock, just before sunset.

E Rock is one of my favorite places in Texas, and once again, it’d been quite some time since I’d been out there.

Me bouldering E-Rock in 2006.

Yeah. Quite some time.  There’s not a spot o’ grey on that kid.

So it was nice to make another trip out there.

We also had lunch at Dodging Duck Brewery in Bourne on Saturday, which was adorable as well.

And aptly named.

And here’s where all the ducks live.

Anyway, we had a fantastic time and it was seriously overdue. Of course we missed Daphne, but it’s important for us to get out every so often and be more than just a pair of parents. We’re really going to try to make taking grown-up trips an annual thing.

Okay, see you soon.

j.s.